About Me

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Semi-Wordless Wednesday - Job Change

OK, so clearly I've been away for awhile. I mean, I've been here just long enough to post a Wordless Wednesday, for the most part, but I haven't had much time to say much else. I told you I was in Nashville, I believe. Well, I still am. But it's become more complicated than that.

The week before I was due to start in Nashville another company that had been jerking me around with interviews for 6 months called me up and interviewed me one more time. Yes, they interviewed me several times over the course of 6 months. 6 months!

Of course the last interview went great. It was a total fit. We clicked totally. And I told them as they were hanging up, "but you have to HURRY because I have an offer I have to respond to." Of course they didn't hurry.

So there I was, sitting at my new desk at my new job in a new city when my cell phone rang. "Hey, what'cha doin'?" a strange voice asked.

"I'm at work. I'm working." I responded to the person I had no clue who they were.

"What are they paying you?"

It went on like this. Bottom line, they only offered to match my new salary, not beat it. They said this was justified by the fact that I have to move to work at this job in Nashville and I wouldn't have to move to work for them. And that's true. But as it turns out, Nashville is a whole lot more fun and less dangerous than Memphis, where my house is that I love so much. So I struggled with this decision for a long time. Also, Christmas and New Year's fell in there somewhere. I don't remember when they finally came back to me with an actual offer. I'd been working here for awhile and then out of nowhere they call.

Anyway, I did the mature and manly thing when confronted with a tough decision like this - I asked everyone I know what they thought I should do. Then I put it up on Facebook and asked even more people what they thought I should do. Now let me present it to you, too, since I already told everyone else and their mom. What do you think I should do?

Nashville job Pros:

It's in Nashville.

I am unlikely to get murdered, raped or robbed in Nashville

Nashville is fun. It has an NFL team, an NHL team, a kick-ass museum and lots of stuff I like to do.

The company benefits here are better than the other company, as in twice as good

I have my own office.

Nashville is 2 hours from the entire rest of my family and most of my friends.

Nashville is where they film the shows MuscleCar, Trucks, Extreme 4x4, etc, subsequently several custom car shops are located here.

There are a lot of intelligent, attractive, non-criminal people in Nashville

Nashville job Cons:

I have to sell my house and move a TON of stuff
I have to buy a new house and move a TON of stuff AGAIN
I'm the entire department that does what I do, which means there is no one else to back me up.
Car inspections
Crowded and lots of traffic (but to be fair these people are middle class and drive well)
Miley Cyrus lives here

Memphis job Pros:

I will work with a team who can back me up
I won't have to move
I will have a defense department secret security clearance
I really like my house
I have great neighbors

Memphis job Cons:

It's in Memphis
I will probably die a violent death if I remain in Memphis
Memphis is insane. It has gangs/politicians/Mary Winkler everywhere who entertain us with exciting murders
Every time Democrats control Congress there are defense cuts and lots of lay offs
I will have to take courses for a week and then pass a very hard test for a Security+ certification
If I fail to pass the Security+ exam after a certain amount of time I am fired
If I fail to qualify for a secret security clearance for any reason I am fired
If I ever get a DUI for any reason I instantly lose my security clearance and am fired

So that's what's been going on with me. I'm trying to learn this new position and all the while I am under pressure to make a final decision on returning to Memphis and taking that job. It's actually a tough decision. What do you think? What would you choose? What do you think I should choose?

Ute, Miley is indeed a real concern, but to be fair, I think she is probably spending most of her skank-time out in L.A. and may not have been home in months. I might never see her if I'm lucky. Meanwhile, Memphis has real live actual crack hos and they are not pretty either and there are lots of them. So there's that.

The other half is actually excited about Nashville, but not unhappy in Memphis either. So says she'll move here.

Vanessa D, each time they interviewed me it seemed like they were happy with me. And then NOTHING. But the last time I just knew. It's like dating. The girl you really want to impress is never impressed. The girl you care nothing about is blown away. So, you fake being cool and act like you just don't care with the girl you want to impress. Then you pray.

AlleyCat, theoretically the Nashville job has better security and better benefits. But since I am the entire department for my profession there may be heavy pressure to perform. I'm not really sure yet. With the Memphis job, I know people who have been there for years and years and never been laid off, and I know people who were cut recently. So its a big question mark how much security it offers, which is ironic since I'd have to get both a Security+ certification and a security clearance.

AlleyCat, she was pretty excited when the opportunity first presented itself. If her excitement lasts then we could be Nashvillians within the next year or two. "Nashville Steve" - it sounds so more much respectable than ... a name which we shall not say.

Mind you when it comes to violent deaths, Midsommer, the English town in Midsoomer Murder Mysteries takes the cake. In the end, it will be the people that make the place-job. Oakland where I live is known for its crime but is a great place to live

AboutLastWeekend, the people are truly vital to making a good city. So far the people here seem much classier than the people of Memphis. Not that I haven't met some great people in Memphis. Its just that they are the exception rather than the rule. Maybe it's just the specific location I'm in, but whatever the case the people here want to get along. The people in Memphis that I encounter all too often want to fight.